IOWA GHOST TOWNS

Iowa County, Iowa

Iowa IHGP

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Iowa County was so named because of the Iowa River
which runs through the County


Listed below are names and descriptions of Iowa County towns and villages, many have long ago disappeared,
Some became a part of other towns, that are still in existance today.
The list below was taken from the Annuls of Iowa Vols. XVII & XVIII.
Used with permission from the State Historical Society of Iowa
Would you like to help with this project? Do you know of more information about any of these towns?
We would appreciate it if you would send it to us. Descriptions pictures etc.
For verification purposes, please list where you obtained the information.
You can click on the Towns with an asterisk* for more information.

* ALBERTON. Laid out as a town in section 10, Dayton Township, in 1857, but never built up.

* AMBROSE. A post office (1897-1900) in section 28, Dayton Township.

* ARMAH. A post office (1897-1900) in section 26, Dayton Township.

BOLTONVILLE. A post office (1871-73) in the southwest corner of section 26, Iowa Township.

BOYLE. In York Township, Section 5. This was a Post Office established on December 22, 1884, less than 1 mile west of Pittsburg Post Office on the State Road to Iowa City. Thomas Boyle was named postmaster.

CARTER. A post office (1881-85) in the southwestern part of Fillmore Township, section 29, some three miles northeast of the present town of North English. Included some businesses and residences.

CONO. A post office (1855-63) in the eastern part of Cono Township.

* DAYTON. A town laid out in section 1, Cono Township. Post office, 1857-59.

DOVER. Laid out as a town in 1857 on the south line of section 6, Honey Creek Township, but no town developed, but is shown on maps as late as 1875 as a post office.

DOWNARDS. In the western part of Sumner Township. Post office, 1855-59.

FOX. In the southwest part of Iowa Township, as shown on maps of 1887.

* FOOTE. In the southeastern part of section 35, Fillmore Township, on the Keokuk County line. Post office, 1863-1900.

FREMONT. Laid out as a town in 1857 in the northern part of section 23, Fillmore Township, but never materialized.

* GENOA BLUFFS. A town in the southeastern part of section 32 and southwestern of 33, Sumner Township. It was laid out in 1855 and in its early life was prosperous, at one time aspiring to be the county seat. Post office, 1859-1900. A garage is all that remains.

GREENE CENTER. In the south central part of Greene Township. Post office, 1889-1900.

* GREEN VALLEY    Click to see below

HEDGE. A post office (1881-1930) in the north central part of Dayton Township.

* HINKLETOWN. Name of the hamlet at the location of the post office of Foote, which see above.

IONE. In the northern part of Greene Township. Listed as a post office in U. S. Official Register in 1854 and shown on maps as late as 1869.

JONES. A post office (1857-69) in section 5, Greene Township.

* LYTLE CITY. A town in the central part of section 1, Fillmore Township. It was laid out in 1857. After the establishment of Parnell on the new C., M. & St. P. Hy. in 1884, Lytle City's existence soon ended.

MORIAH. A post office (1873-76) in the southwestern part of Honey Creek Township.

MUSQUAKA. A post office (1875-93) in the northeastern part of section 29, Dayton Township.

NEVADA. The name of the present town of North English during its early existence.

PRAIRIE CREEK. A post office (1855-67) in the western part of Honey Creek Township, near the Powcshiek County line.

RIVERDALE. Near the northwest corner of Honey Creek Township. Post office, 1873-76.

SOAPTOWN. A common name applied to North English in its pioneer years.

STELAPOLS. The name of the post office at the town of Williamsburg from 1861 to 1880, as shown in the U. S. Official Register.

WEST PILOT. In section 15, Pilot Township. Post office, 1872-89.

WEST TROY. On west line of section 19, Troy Township. Post office, 1873-81.

WILSON. The original name of the present town of Victor. The name was changed from Wilson to Victor in 1862 when the post office of Victor, which had been in existence from 1854, and located about two miles to the south, was removed to near the newly built C., R. I. & P. depot.

* YORK CENTER. In the western part of section 9, York Township. Post office, 1869-1900.

If you can add any information for the towns above please drop us an email.

Thanks, Mel/Webmaster www.iowaghosttowns.com

Alberton:
Dayton Township: Section 10. The town was laid-out on September 3, 1857,
by A. T. Cross. It never grew beyond a small village.
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Ambrose:
Dayton Township, Section 28. Formerly known as Masquaka (1875 - 1893.)
Post Office of Ambrose established April 10, 1895, first postmaster Henry George.
Business: Thomas McLaughlin, Dealer in Agricultural Implements and the Woman’s
Friend Improved Steam Washer (1874.) Included the nearby Sherman School.
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Armah:
Dayton Township, Section 26. Primarily consisted of the Armah Catholic Church and
denominational school, as well as the Hawkeye School.
The priests of the Catholic Church at Armah often served other area Catholic Churches
in Millersburg, North English and Little Creek at Hinkletown.
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Dayton:
Cono Township, Section 1. This was a town formally laid out by William Greenlee on June 27, 1857,
with the promise of becoming a substantial town. A post office was established in 1855,
and discontinued several years later.
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Foote:
Fillmore Township. The name of a village and post office with four documented locations.
Foote may have started as a small village in Section 35 of Fillmore Township, setting in a
low-lying valley area adjacent to the English River. Early settlers probably selected
the spot due to a scenic, flat and protected spot between nearby bluffs and the river.
After having built log cabins, the river flooded, causing removal to higher ground. In 1862,
the name Foote is attached to a Post Office in the nearby town of Hinkletown, ¾ mile
southeast of its original location, and ½ mile directly south of the English River. In the
1880’s, as Hinkletown began to decline, the Foote Post Office was physically removed
and re-established one mile east in the town of Greene Valley. In the 1890’s the post
office moved ½ mile, north of the English River, and was again known as the village of Foote.
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Genoa Bluffs:
Sumner Township, Section 32. This town was platted and mapped as a full-scale town with
streets and town square. John E. Stoner, one of the early pioneers of Iowa County, ran a
store and steam grist mill in Genoa Bluffs. The town included a post office and church,
and many residents. Genoa Bluffs gained notoriety when a second battle over the county
seat came in March 1857, when the enemies of Marengo started a movement to move the
county seat to Genoa Bluffs. A petition was presented to the judge asking that the question
of the location of the county seat be put on the general election in April,1857. It was soon
discovered, however, that the petition contained names of non-legal voters. These names
removed, the petition no longer contained sufficient numbers to call for an election.
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Greene Valley:
Fillmore Township, Section 36. Named after a General Greene of the Revolutionary War.
Some sources say Greene Valley was settled as early as 1831, due to general store ledgers
kept by a Daniel Lamoraux. These ledger entries may have been made in another state prior
to emigration to Greene Valley. Early stories relate life by the English River as shared with
local Indians who fished peaceably by the river. Greene Valley is known to have thrived with
businesses in the 1870’s through 1920’s, including a grist mill, saw mill, telephone office,
Foote Post Office, black smith, general store, I.O.O.F. lodge, and several residences.
The town had annual picnics, parades, dances, a ball team and fife and drum corps.
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Hinkletown:
Fillmore Township, Section 35. A predominantly Irish-Catholic community located in a heavily
timbered area on the Iowa - Keokuk County line. Hinkletown was settled in the 1850’s and
named in the 1860’s after businessman Harmon Henkle, who purchased an existing sawmill
from Patrick Rock. In 1852, William Watkins settled here and built and operated a brick factory
for 14 years. About 1855, Henry Charles Chapman established a shoe making shop. The town
sat on the southern route of the Diamond Trail that went from Burlington to Fort Des Moines.
Several businesses, two general stores, two lodges, a doctor’s office and stage coach stop
operated for several years. The Foote Post Office was housed on the main road in the general
store building of Frank Lytle. The Hickory Ridge School, located on the west end of town,
served as community center, with weekly literary programs and debates, and housed as many
as 52 students each session. The “Hinkletown Journal” was a weekly newspaper published by
Rachel Breeden Weimer. The town began its decline in 1872, when wealthy businessman Henkle
moved his residence and businesses, along with several business partners, to the newly established
railroad town of Keota, nine miles directly south. A new stage and mail route was quickly established
between Keota and Hinkletown through to the county seat of Marengo. St. Patrick’s Church was
erected in 1875 and a second building was constructed along side to house the Ancient Order of
Hibernians. However, Hinkletown took a second big hit in 1879, when a railroad went through just
four miles south, in spite of petitioning of the businessmen and residence to bring the railroad through
Hinkletown. Most of the remaining businesses moved to the new town of Kinross. The remaining
general store and brick kilns were operated by Thomas F. Hudson and sons until the early 1900’s.
By 1923, the store was vacant and in dilapidated condition. The school operated until 1952, and
the church was torn down in 1965. Today, there is little evidence that a thriving town ever
existed at this site.
History-related website at: http://www.Hinkletown.com
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Hinkle town Pictures....... Click on any picture to enlarge it.
   
(LEFT) Hickory Ridge School at Hinkletown, Iowa - Circa 1910
(RIGHT) 1880's Photo of Ancient Order of Hibernians at
Saint Patrick's Little Creek Church - Hinkletown, Iowa

Lytle City:
Fillmore Township, Section 1. Robert B. Lytle laid out an ambitious town on June 23, 1857.
The town grew to substance through the 1870’s. By 1881, it had declined, and at that time contained
a hotel, general store, blacksmith, wagon shop, post office, two physicians, shoemaker, carpenter, a
school, and a handful of houses. When a north-south railroad was established through the county, a
town was born two miles west of Lytle City. In 1884, the people of the little Irish town of Lytle City
moved residences, stores, buildings, and families to where the railroad was beginning. The new town
of Parnell (first called Callan) quickly lured residents and businesses away from Lytle City, which
completely disappeared.
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York Center:
York Township, Section 9, 10. York Center post office was established on February 3, 1868,
with Thomas Wallace as the postmaster. It remained though 1900. According to the 1895 Iowa
Atlas, York Center had a population of 45.
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Information for the above towns supplied by Dave Jackson - Community History Project, North English, Iowa. Compiled from 1881 and 1915 Iowa County histories, US Post Office records, maps, oral and written history accounts. December 2003.


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